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Several people have been taken hostage by at least one armed man at a Lindt cafe in Sydney, Australia, the BBC reported.

Hundreds of armed police have sealed off the normally busy Martin Place in the central business district.

At least three people have been seen inside the cafe with their hands up against a window, and holding up a black flag with Arabic writing.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has described the incident as "deeply concerning."

He said it was not yet clear who was behind the incident but that it could be politically motivated, and that the National Security Committee had been briefed.

"I can think of almost nothing more distressing, more terrifying than to be caught up in such a situation, and our hearts go out to these people," he said.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said the situation was not being treated as a terror incident, but confirmed there was "an armed offender in the premises holding an undisclosed number of hostages."

He said the situation was contained in Martin Place - dismissing various reports of other incidents around the city - and that police were "doing all we can to bring this to a peaceful outcome.”